Minister of Economy and Commerce, H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al-Thani launched the second edition of Shop Qatar at a dazzling event at AlHazm. The opening ceremony was attended by several VIPs including foreign diplomats, government officials and private sector leaders.

The event also coincided with a series of shows in malls around the country, marking the beginning of the month-long festival, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), in celebration of the country’s diverse retail offerings, against a backdrop of colourful cultural activities

The second edition of Qatar’s official shopping festival continues until 7 February under the slogan ‘A Brand New Tradition’, and offers residents and visitors attractive discounts on popular brands, car and cash prizes worth up to QAR 4 million; and a rich schedule of fashion and entertainment events.

Hassan Al Ibrahim, Acting Chairman at QTA commented, “The inaugural edition of Shop Qatar was launched last year under the directives of His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and witnessed great success thanks to the wise leadership’s support and the collaborative efforts of our public and private sector partners. We are very pleased to be launching the second edition of Shop Qatar in the presence of our esteemed guests; it is truly a reflection of the government’s support for the tourism sector as an important element in Qatar’s sustainable development in pursuit of the National Vision 2030.” He added, “With the launch of the next chapter of the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 late last year, Qatar’s tourism sector embarked on a new phase in its development. The Strategy identifies key goals and the mechanisms and initiatives that will serve to enhance the visitor experience while providing investment opportunities for local and foreign investors.”

The festival sheds a spotlight on the new and enticing additions to Qatar’s burgeoning retail scene, with 13 malls participating covering a nearly 1,000,000 m² of retail space. Retail outlets around Qatar will be providing special offers and discounts of up to 50% on a range of consumer goods including clothes, electronics, cosmetics and accessories for men, women and children.

Participating malls are, AlKhor Mall, City Centre, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Lagoona Mall, Landmark Mall, Mall of Qatar, Tawar Mall, The Gate Mall, Villaggio, Ezdan Mall and Dar Al Salam Mall.

Shop Qatar 2018 will celebrate cultures from around the world with themes such as Arabian Week, Bollywood Week and International Week, encouraging mall-goers to continue to discover something new each week throughout the festival. Each week includes themed musical events organised by members of the local private sector.

“Shop Qatar is the country’s largest shopping festivals, and one of the largest and fastest growing in the region,” commented Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA. “We are proud of the partnerships which have enabled us to develop a nation-wide event that celebrates Qatar’s rapid development as a global shopping, leisure and luxury destination, while shining the spotlight on our entrepreneurs, local tourism services, and authentic Qatari experiences. We are particularly grateful to Qatar Development Bank for their support in adding dozens of home-grown businesses and products to the festival’s offering.”

“In its second edition, Shop Qatar promises to continue with its tradition of celebrating Qatar’s varied retail offerings with residents and visitors. The festival’s cultural focus this year is a nod to the country’s diverse social fabric, and an echo of our message of welcome to the world. Shop Qatar marks the first in a series of nation-wide festivals we will be hosting this year and which form part of QTA’s strategy to maintain a lively calendar of annual events. As the festivals continue to develop and evolve, we are particularly pleased to see the growing involvement of our private sector partners year after year.”

Arabian Week

The first week of the festival (7 – 13 January) themed as ‘Arabian week’ is set to celebrate the myriad varieties of fashion, music and design from around the Arab world.

Fashion fans can catch up on the latest trends sweeping countries from Marrakesh to Muscat at the Arabian Fashion Show being hosted at the Mondrian Hotel at 7:00pm on Wednesday 10 January. The showcase of over 100 looks will feature designs by celebrity designers. Those interested to attend can register online via www.talentresources.org/fashion-show-registration. The event is for free and seats will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.

To wrap up the week, Kuwaiti celebrity makeup artist Hanan AlNajada will be giving a makeup masterclass on Saturday 13 January at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where ladies can learn how to perfect their look for 2018. Seats are limited and are selling for QAR 2,000 also at Virgin Megastore.

Bollywood Week

Bollywood lovers are in for a treat during the second week of the festival. Thanks to a unique line-up of activities at malls and across the country, the period from 14 to 20 January will be a feast of the Indian subcontinent’s vibrant culture and arts.

A dazzling display of Saris and Lehenga dresses is expected at the Bollywood Fashion Show being held at 7pm on Wednesday 17 January, at the Mondrian Hotel. Over 100 different looks will be on show. Those interested to attend can register online via www.talentresources.org/fashion-show-registration. The event is for free and seats will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Malls participating in Shop Qatar will also host a variety of Bollywood-themed pop-up shops inviting mall-goers to create and personalise their own embroidered khussa slippers, bangles and much more.

Lively Entertainment for The Whole Family

QTA and its partners have ensured that Shop Qatar 2018 will offer a rich array of live performances and unlimited family-friendly entertainment in a festive, safe environment that reflects local culture and heritage.

The month-long festival also coincides with outdoor carnivals being held at Souq Waqif and Mall of Qatar, giving a variety of choices for families to enjoy the pleasant outdoor weather this winter.

Supporting Local Businesses

In support of local entrepreneurs, Shop Qatar organisers, in collaboration with qatar Development Bank, will erect 30 pop-up shops in Mall of Qatar where small businesses can showcase their products and benefit from the high footfall generated by the festival, all while providing the mall’s visitors with an authentic Qatari experience.

Chances to win cars and cash prizes worth up to QAR 4,000,000

Shoppers who spend QAR 200 at any of the participating retailers can enter a weekly raffle draw for a chance to win BMW cars and cash prizes worth up to QAR 4 million. Draws will be held on the first three Thursdays of the Festival (11, 18 & 25 January 2018), with two cars and 13 cash prizes ranging from QAR 10,000 to QAR 100,000 to be won each week. The final draw will take place at the closing ceremony on Thursday, 8 February.

Follow the fun

To find out more, visit www.shopqatar.qa and follow the dedicated Shop Qatar social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Are you excited for another fun-filled edition of Shop Qatar for 2018? Drop us a line in the comments below and let us know! Also, don't forget to like and share this article!

(Images courtesy of the Qatar Tourism Authority)

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